Fish Feast — Annual celebration returns to St. Ignace on Saturday

Sunday

Jul 13, 2014 at 1:00 PM

Whitefish in the upper Great Lakes are starting to feel a little nervous. The St. Ignace Fish Feast is just around the corner and come July 19, the catch of the day will land on a plate by the Lake Huron shore, accompanied by some savory side dishes and an evening filled with fun.

The eighth-annual event will begin at 4pm at the St. Ignace Marina, where participants will sample the culinary wares of at least eight vendors, all of whom are expected to offer at least one fish dish on the menu.

“Every vendor has to serve one kind of fish, but then can also serve hamburgers, hot dogs, and a number of other items, plus there is a beverage tent at the site,” said St. Ignace Visitors Bureau Director Mindy Rutgers. Attendees purchase $1 tickets and then each vendor determines how many tickets to charge for each menu item. The St. Ignace Events Committee — the official organizing body for a number of celebrations throughout the year — keeps a percentage of the proceeds for future events.

With “feast” in the event name, the food takes center stage, but there are plenty of other reasons to attend Fish Feast. Live music from The Pub Runners will be featured on-stage from 6-9 p.m., with DJs providing music both before and after the live music. The kids can enjoy a number of games, a bounce house, dunk tank and more. A trout fishing pond will also be on-site and all activities are set against a gorgeous backdrop at the marina, provided compliments of Lake Huron.

A new attraction this year comes with an uncommon name: Gyotaku. This Japanese tradition, which dates back to the 1800s, involves using an actual fish to paint on a surface. In this case – participants will design T-shirts using the Gyotaku process.

At the end of the festivities, bright colors will fill the sky as fireworks are shot off over Moran Bay.

Admission to the St. Ignace Fish Feast is $5 for adults and free to children 12 years of age and younger. For more information about the event, visit stignace.com or call (800) 338-6660.